Chuck Wepner vs. Muhammed Ali Round 15

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http://youtube.com/watch?v=x7I-98nGXcc

I watched an ESPN reflective upon Check Wepner and Muhammed Ali tonight, and it was fascinating. I had never heard of this fight. It was the fight where Ali was knocked down for the first time in his career. It was also the inspiration for the film "Rocky."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Wepner

I can't even imagine going 15 rounds with anyone, much less Ali. Wepner was one of that group of boxers that Robert E. Howard referred to as "The Iron Men."

[Origen]

Wepner actually knocked Ali down in round 9, which was the first time Ali had been knocked down while he was world champion:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TBxAuNEFRJU

I believe, if memory serves from the interview, that Ali was knocked down a total of four times in his career, and only once after he became world champion.

http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/1298/don-bleed-bayonne/

[Origen]

A humorous anecdote:

Wepner said, in the interview, that he bought his wife a powder blue negligee.

"Tonight," he said, "after the fight you are going to sleep with the heavyweight champion of the world."

After his defeat, he went to his room, and his wife was sitting on the bed wearing the negligee.

"So is Ali coming to my room," she asked, "Or am I going to his?"